Wasp Woman
The Life, Career, and Murder of Hollywood's Susan Cabot
by Lona Bailey
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Pub Date Mar 24 2026 | Archive Date Apr 15 2026
Histria Books | Histria A&E
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Description
Susan Cabot was a popular B-list movie actress in the 1940s-1950s whose grisly slaying perhaps gained her more notoriety than her on-screen and on-stage accomplishments. Susan had a significant acting career ultimately cheapened by the media circus surrounding her death.
The role for which Susan was most recognized was Wasp Woman, Janice Starlin, the president of a cosmetics corporation who experiments with a youth serum made from the extract of wasps that proves to have deadly side effects—not unlike the experimental injections that contributed to her own real-life slaughter in 1986 at the hands of her son, Tim.
Susan was essentially tried and convicted of her own murder due to the overbearing mother narrative purported by Tim’s defense attorney team and the media. This biography broadens the narrative of Susan Cabot, detailing her legacy from a fresh perspective beyond the coils of her last years and brutal murder. It also explores the sociopolitical implications of victim-blaming, mother blame, and toxic masculinity that led to the skewing of Susan’s life and death.
Susan’s side of the story has never been told... until now.
Advance Praise
Informative, fascinating.
– James A. Cox, Wisconsin Bookwatch
Gripping from the outset and rife with intrigue, the book sizzles in its raw and unfettered storytelling.
– Christopher Cook, author of Lurching Forward
Wasp Woman offers a compelling look at the life and legacy of a true starlet whilst also serving as a poignant reminder of the darker side of Hollywood glamour. I would highly recommend it for true crime and memoir fans alike.
– Readers’ Favorite
Available Editions
| EDITION | Paperback |
| ISBN | 9781592116799 |
| PRICE | $19.99 (USD) |
| PAGES | 200 |